Hunt seat is used to describe forward seat riding commonly found in American horse shows. It is one of the two classic forms of riding along with dressage. The Hunt seat is based on the tradition of fox hunting. Competition id North America includes both flat and over fences for show hunters, which judges the horses movement and form. Hunt seat is also a genetic term to used to describe forward seat riding, including show jumping and eventing.

Hunt seat is an extremely popular form of riding in the United States and Canada, under the USHJA (United States Hunter/Jumper Association) and the United States Equestrian Federation. While hunt seat showing is not an Olympic discipline, many show jumping competitors began by riding in the hunter divisions, before moving into the jumper divisions.

There are sometimes confusions in the united states between Saddle seat and Hunt seat riding. The difference between the two styles is that Saddle seat is all flat work meaning there are no jumps. While Hunt seat is based on the tradition of fox hunting and not only has flat work but also jumping.